The Little Mermaid II: Return to the Sea
The Little Mermaid II: Return to the Sea is a 2000 Disney animated feature film and direct-to-video sequel to the 1989 animated film The Little Mermaid. Directed by Frank Thomas and Ollie Johnston , the story takes place over a decade after the original film, and focuses on Ariel and Eric's daughter Melody, a human princess who longs to swim in the ocean despite her parents' law that the sea is forbidden to her. This sequel stars the voices of Jodi Benson as Ariel, Tara Charendoff as Melody and Pat Carroll as Morgana, the film's new villain. It is the last film in the chronology of Walt Disney's version of The Little Mermaid. It's followed by a prequel, The Little Mermaid III: Ariel's Beginning, a 2008 direct-to-video animated feature. Plot Ariel and Eric celebrate the birth of their newborn daughter Melody on a ship at sea. Ariel's father King Triton presents Melody with a magic locket. The party is interrupted by Ursula's sister Morgana, who threatens to cause Melody harm, using her as leverage to get Triton's trident. Ariel and Eric work together to foil Morgana's plan. Fearing Morgana and remembering Ursula, Ariel decides to withhold all knowledge of the sea world from Melody in order to protect her daughter. The locket is tossed into the ocean, and a massive wall is built to separate the royal castle from the sea. Triton assigns Sebastian to keep an eye on Melody. Twelve years later, Melody remains unaware of her mother's mermaid heritage and is forbidden from ever going into the sea. However, she has been sneaking out of the castle regularly to swim and finds her locket. Seeing her name on the locket, Melody confronts her mother and, frustrated with her mother's refusal to answer her questions, Melody takes a boat and sails away from home. Her parents soon learn that she is gone, and Triton uses his magic to transform Ariel back into a mermaid to search for Melody. Melody is lured to Morgana's lair by her minions, Cloak and Dagger the manta rays, and Undertow the tiger shark, and Morgana uses the remains of Ursula's magic to temporarily transform Melody into a mermaid. Morgana says that the transformation will be permanent if Melody can get hold of the trident, which she claims was stolen by Triton. With the help of Tip the penguin and Dash the walrus, Melody successfully returns to Morgana with the trident. Ariel tries to stop Melody, but before she can explain that Morgana is evil, Melody gives the trident to Morgana. With the trident in her power, Morgana reveals her true intentions and grabs Ariel with her tentacle and holds her hostage. Morgana uses the trident's magic to lord over the ocean, rising to the surface to gloat. Scuttle, Triton, Sebastian and Eric arrive, and a battle ensues against Morgana and her minions. Melody manages to grab the trident and throw it back to Triton by climbing up the cliff on which Morgana is standing and sneaking up on her. Triton uses his trident to encase Morgana in a block of ice, which sinks underwater. Melody reunites with her family, and Triton offers his granddaughter a choice of becoming a mermaid permanently. Instead, Melody uses the trident to disintegrate the wall separating her home from the sea, reuniting the humans and the merpeople. Voice cast * Jodi Benson as Ariel * Tara Strong as Melody * Samuel E. Wright as Sebastian * Pat Carroll as Morgana * Rob Paulsen as Prince Eric * Kenneth Mars as King Triton * Cam Clarke as Flounder * Buddy Hackett as Scuttle * Clancy Brown as Undertow * Max Casella as Tip * Stephen Furst as Dash * René Auberjonois as Chef Louis * Edie McClurg as Carlotta * Kay E. Kuter as Grimsby * Justin Schulte as Handsome Boy * Blake McIver Ewing as Boy #1 * Emily Hart as Mergirl * Marcus Toji as Merboy * Frank Welker as Max the Sheepdog * Chorus: Ray Benson, Amick Byram, Randy Crenshaw, Desirée Goyette, Linda Harmon, Bob Joyce, Norman Large, Rick Logan, Susie Stevens-Logan, Bobbi Page & Lauren Wood Songs * Down to the Sea (performed by Jodi Benson, Rob Paulsen, Clancy Brown, Kay E. Kuter, Samuel E. Wright and Chorus) * For a Moment (performed by Jodi Benson and Tara Charendoff) * Tip & Dash (performed by Max Casella, Stephen Furst and Tara Charendoff) * Here on the Land and Sea (performed by Jodi Benson, Tara Charendoff and Samuel E. Wright (Chorus: Ray Benson, Amick Byram, Randy Crenshaw, Desirée Goyette, Linda Harmon, Bob Joyce, Norman Large, Rick Logan, Susie Stevens-Logan, Bobbi Page and Lauren Wood)) * Part of Your World (performed by Chely Wright) * Part of Your World (performed by Ann Marie Boscovich) * Gonna Get My Wish (performed by Pat Carroll and Clancy Brown) International releases For information about international dubs and releases, The Little Mermaid II: Return to the Sea/International. Category:2000 films Category:2000s American animated films Category:American musical films Category:Films produced by Leslie Hough Category:Films produced by David Lovegren Category:Films directed by Jim Kammerud Category:Films directed by Brian Smith Category:Film scores by Danny Troob Category:American sequel films Category:Disney direct-to-video films Category:Direct-to-video sequel films Category:DisneyToons Studios animated films Category:Walt Disney Television Animation Category:Disney Princess